Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Excited and eager faces waited patiently for instructions at the October Senior Life Newspaper event. Only a few courageous and risk taking individuals dared join Senior Life at Skydive Space Center in Titusville.

“You’ve got to Find Your Life – find yourself when your kids leave home,” said Suki Patterson of Melbourne. “I’ve been wanting to sky dive since last month, when I went water skiing with Senior Life. You can’t just sit around and wait for things to happen to you.”

After filling out the necessary forms, receiving instructions, and being custom fitted into the tandem harnesses, participants were escorted onto the jump plane. Each person was seated with his or her highly skilled Jump Master and individual videographer. Most of the jump masters and videographers have more than 10,000 jumps to their credit, and they transferred their sense of confidence into the novice jumpers.

More instructions were given, and as the plane climbed above the clouds to a height of 15,000 feet, Patterson remarked, “I feel just like a Care Bear!”

Skydive Space Center is the only dropzone in the world overlooking the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral and the Space Coast beaches. With an incredible view of the entire Space Coast, sky divers were treated to a scenic view of the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian River, and the surrounding area.

The air was cold as participants stepped to the platform at the plane’s door, and more than one wondered if it was too late to back out; but no one did. All who attended the event left with once-in-a-lifetime memories, still photos, a DVD of their 70 second freefall, and a certificate of accomplishment that few will ever possess.

Skydive Space Center in Titusville is an officially certified member of the United States Parachute Association, and Florida’s highest tandem freefall jump zone. Securely harnessed to professionals and world champion sky divers, the event participants flew through the air at an unbelievable 120 M.P.H. before a breathtakingly gorgeous 7 minute float to earth once the canopy opened.

When 80 year-old Palm Bay risk taker, Jim Quinn was asked if he got an adrenaline rush from sky diving; he smiled and said softly, “No, not really. I guess I have been getting my adrenaline rushes for 30 years; I mean, it was fun.”

Suki Patterson had another point of view. “Anyone who has not done this has wasted life!”

Be sure you are on the list for the next event. Call 321-693-1989.

posted by Unknown at 10/25/2005 10:56:00 AM